Audi promises production laser-based headlights for its cars

Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management Audi AG, introduces the new Audi Allroad Concept vehicle at the press preview of the 2014 North American International Auto Show January 13, 2014 in Detroit, Michigan.

With the ability to shine light accurately almost a quarter of a mile down the road,shine three times brighter than LED’s, laser based headlights represent a leap forward in lighting technology and takes off where LED’s stop.

The Laser based headlight works by shining a laser beam onto a diode which difuses the laser into a white light. According to Audi, the laser’s themselves aren’t strong enough yet for production vehicles and are at a point in technoilogy where LED’s where 10 years before. The actual laser projector itself is very small and the packaging design benefits are superior to that of LED’s an obviosuly modern day HID’s.

Most likely, production vehicles will have low beam LED’s and employ laser-based high beams.

Laser based headlights will first maket their appearance on Audi’s racecars including the 2014 Audi R18 e-tron Quattro LMP1 racecar. After rigourus real world racing testing, it will slowly make its way to production vehicles.

The biggest stumbling block for Audi might come from US Department of Transportation, who has the final word on any vehicle technology in the US market.

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Paulo Acoba studied at the University of California Merced. He also interened for Magnaflow Performance Exhaust in Southern Califonia.He enjoys the import car scene and frequents car meets, events and local autocrosses and is interested in highlighting innovations in the car industry specifically coming from California.